Warriors top Cougars to stay perfect

WEST CHESTER -- West Chester Henderson pounded out 13 hits, getting at least one base knock from every slot in the lineup but one, then fended off a couple of late threats to top visiting Downingtown West, 6-3, in a Ches-Mont National softball game on Wednesday afternoon.

“I really like the way our team has been playing this year,” said Warriors pitcher Lauren Butts. “We’re playing so much better than we did last year. Everyone is hitting, all up and down the order. We seem to feed off each other, and when one of us starts to hit, we all do. Knowing that we’re going to put up runs gives me some comfort pitching. I know I’ll have a little leeway.”

Butts collected the complete-game victory, scattering seven hits across seven innings. Butts allowed three earned runs, striking out five while walking three as the Warriors (7-0 league) stayed perfect on the season and strengthened their hold on first place in the division race.

“Lauren is our workhorse,” said Henderson coach Sarah Norris. “She’s far beyond the typical mental maturity of a junior pitcher. She thinks the game, and she knows the game. She simply thrives on pressure.”

The two teams were scoreless until Hendersongot on the board in the bottom half of the third. Janelle Wade led off the inning with a single to bring up the top of the Warriors’ order. Shannon Gray made it runners on first and second by slapping a single to left. A little bloop just over shortsop from Lauren Friedman loaded the bases for Heidi McCollester, who ripped a liner to left to score both Gray and Wade.

“I was down two strikes, so I was just looking for something to hit,” said McCollester. “I got something right down the middle and just drove it.”

With one out and runners on first and third, Butts helped her own cause, delivering a single up the middle to plate Freidman. McCollester came home when the Whippets couldn’t get to a pop-up bewteen the circle and second base.

“We don’t like to think of people being, say, the number eight hitter,” said Norris. “We have players than can hit from top to bottom, so we expect big things every inning.”

Wade, hitting out of the number nine hole, sparked a rally the following inning as well, hitting a ball to the hole between third and short. West shortstop Marissa Seese ranged to her right to keep the ball in the infield, but couldn’t complete the play. Two hitters later, Friedman drove a ball to the gap in left-center to bring Wade home.

“Our infield showed its youth today,” said West coach Joey Germani. “We made too many errors, and simply didn’t make some plays we needed to make.”

West (5-2 league) finally got on the board in the sixth when the Whippets’ number nine hitter, Jamie Rothenberger, took a two-strike offering from Butts and drove it down the first-base line. A diving Kristen Golden couldn’t come up with it, and when the ball squirted past Golden to deep right, Rothenberger circle the bases for a home run.

Down 6-1, West threatened with one out in the sixth, loading the bases on singles from Haley Fagan and Amanda Seckinger, along with a walk to Gianna Melillo. Amanda Sandoe scorched a ball to third, but Bri Fulginitti handled it well, fired home, and McCollester threw to first for the 5-2-3 double play to end the inning.

“That play right there is a perfect indication of how well we’re playing as a unit,” said Norris. “If we’re not working hard as a team, and practicing hard as a team, we don’t make that play and we don’t get out of that inning there.”

West did score a pair of runs in the sixth, getting singles from Annie Hays, Rothenberger and Allie Milligan, whose hit drove in Hays, along with a sac fly to center from Bri Treadway.

“That’s one thing I love about this team -- they will never give up,” said Germani. “Henderson has a great team, but we can play with them. I’m looking forward to playing them at home. It’s a different dynamic. But first we’ve got to get back to work on somethings, and be ready to go our next game.”

Gray led the Henderson hit parade, finishing the day 3-for-5 with a run scored. Friedman, McCollester and Steph Litchert each had a pair of hits on the afternoon for the victors.

“We’ve all really been enjoying this season with our new coach,” said McCollester. “We’re all really enjoying playing softball with each other and are bonding like we’re family. We’ve been competing, and just having fun.”